CVE-2012-1327 in IOS
Summary
by MITRE
dot11t/t_if_dot11_hal_ath.c in Cisco IOS 12.3, 12.4, 15.0, and 15.1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (assertion failure and reboot) via 802.11 wireless traffic, as demonstrated by a video call from Apple iOS 5.0 on an iPhone 4S, aka Bug ID CSCtt94391.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1327 represents a critical denial of service flaw within Cisco IOS wireless networking components, specifically affecting versions 12.3, 12.4, 15.0, and 15.1. This issue resides in the dot11t/t_if_dot11_hal_ath.c file which handles 802.11 wireless traffic processing for Cisco IOS devices. The flaw manifests when the system receives specially crafted 802.11 wireless frames that trigger an assertion failure within the wireless hardware abstraction layer, ultimately causing the device to reboot and interrupt network services. This vulnerability demonstrates how wireless protocol implementations can introduce critical stability risks to network infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the wireless driver component of Cisco IOS. When processing 802.11 frames, particularly those associated with video calls from Apple iOS 5.0 devices such as the iPhone 4S, the system fails to properly validate frame structures and parameters. This validation gap leads to an assertion failure that terminates the wireless processing thread and forces a system reboot. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level within the wireless hardware abstraction layer, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered remotely without requiring authentication or physical access to the device. According to CWE-248, this represents an unchecked return value or assertion failure that leads to system instability, while the remote exploitation aspect aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.002 for network denial of service attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-1327 extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can compromise the availability of wireless network services across affected Cisco devices. Network administrators may experience unexpected downtime when wireless access points or routers encounter this vulnerability, particularly in enterprise environments where wireless connectivity is critical for business operations. The remote nature of the attack means that malicious actors can exploit this vulnerability from outside the network perimeter, making it particularly concerning for organizations with wireless infrastructure deployed in public or untrusted network segments. Additionally, the fact that this vulnerability was demonstrated against Apple iOS 5.0 devices suggests that wireless protocols and their implementations may be vulnerable to cross-platform exploitation, potentially affecting a wide range of wireless clients and access points.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from network administrators and security teams. Cisco released patches and updates to address this issue, and organizations should prioritize applying these security updates to all affected IOS versions. Network segmentation and monitoring can help detect unusual wireless traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while implementing wireless intrusion detection systems can provide additional layers of protection. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and error handling in network device firmware, particularly within wireless protocol implementations. Organizations should also consider implementing rate limiting for wireless frames and monitoring for abnormal reboot patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Regular vulnerability assessments and security audits of wireless infrastructure components are essential to identify similar issues that may not yet be publicly disclosed but could pose similar risks to network availability and stability.